Ka Plaatjie 'costs Vista'

2003-08-17 07:42

Adri Kotze and Sphiwe Mboyane

Johannesburg - Former PAC secretary-general Thami ka Plaatjie has abused Vista University vehicles and cost the university thousands of rands in telephone costs.

These revelations are contained in an audit report by accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Documents in possession of City Press also show that Ka Plaatjie was a signatory to an illegal account where student monies were deposited.

The matter was investigated by former university vice-chancellor, Professor Hugh Africa.

University management said it would press criminal charges against Ka Plaatjie, who recently resigned as registrar at Vista's Sebokeng campus, if he does not repay the university.

Acting vice-chancellor Professor Sipho Seepe this week said the university would recover its money from Ka Plaatjie and others implicated in abusing university resources.

PAC congress

"If any of the implicated officials do not co-operate or refuse to reimburse the university, the university will have no option but to press criminal charges against them," said Seepe.

He said Ka Plaatjie's resignation would not hinder Vista's efforts to recoup the money.

According to the report, Ka- Plaatjie clocked 2 817km during a trip undertaken in December last year.

Although Ka Plaatjie registered Sebokeng as the destination, he used the car to attend a PAC congress in Umtata.

From September 21 to 24 last year, he booked a vehicle to travel to Vanderbijlpark. During the trip he registered 2 933km.

According to the report there were 18 similar incidences.

Even Ka Plaatjie's telephone calls, which cost the university about R10 000 for the year, have been highlighted as possible wasteful expenditure in the report.

Photocopies

Ka Plaatjie allegedly made 3 000 photocopies of PAC documents at the university before the PAC's last congress in Soweto.

A delegation of staff members asked Africa to investigate the allegations against Ka Plaatjie.

Among other things, staff members submitted proof of a secret bank account opened in Vanderbijlpark, under the name of the university.

Ka Plaatjie and former campus principal Dr Simon Kekana were co-signatories of the account.

City Press is in possession of documents that show student fees were paid into the Vanderbijlpark account.

The account was later closed after R40 000 was withdrawn from it.

Students not qualified

Victor Nkiwane, a former law lecturer at Vista's Sebokeng campus, said there was no response to their request for a commission of inquiry.

As registrar, Ka Plaatjie had authorisation to admit students to the university.

Of the 700 students on the campus, 171 of them did not pass matric.

There are also allegations that some students were given an opportunity to write supplementary exams in his office.

Seepe said if people making the allegations were ready to make sworn statements, his office would follow up the matter.

According to Seepe, Ka Plaatjie resigned because he had received a better offer. He said he did not know if Ka Plaatjie's departure was connected to the findings of the audit report.

Attempts by City Press to contact Ka Plaatjie were unsuccessful.

- City Press